Rising living costs are leading many parents to provide financial help to their children long after they reach adulthood, including help with housing, food and regular bills. The trend matters because it can ease young adults’ immediate pressures while placing strain on parents’ savings, household budgets and retirement plans.

Support often takes the form of children living at home or parents covering expenses such as rent, groceries and phone bills. Surveys cited in related reporting suggest that substantial shares of parents make financial sacrifices to help adult children, reflecting high housing, education and everyday costs and widening differences between families able to offer support and those who cannot.